Flotation apparatus



.Jan. 15, 1935. D. H. FAIRCHILD FLOTATION APPARATUS Filed July 17, -l930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwoento o Donald H Faz'rcizzZd Jan. 15, 19 35. H, FAlRCHlLD 1,988,351

FLOTATI ON APPARATUS Filed July 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 no a on can a 0c can a a 000 0e a nun 0000a 00 o o oo ova UOBQQOUO cocoon o gwumdoz Donald liFaz'rckz'Za Jan. 15, 1935. FAIRCHILD 1,988,351

FLOTATION APPARATUS Filed July 17, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Figure 5 is ardetail showing theinterdigitating" Patented Jan. 15, 1935 This: invention relates to i-mnrovementsin apparatusg for; carrying out the :flotationprocess foruthetseparation andrecovery of the valuable mineral constituents. of ,1 ores from the g angue minerals or undesirable-portions; or for any other commercial processes in which such equip ment would be useful. I I i Q Another obJ' ect of the 1 invention is to provide a new and improved typeor characterof aeration for flotation processpurposes, particularly.-

t I c Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preierred andand-partly in se i n through the. aerating e14}: ment andrits connection with th source air 7 under'pressure; I a

Figured is a-section taken along the th 4- of'Figure;.3; Q

relation of "the distributor head and tubular pofra tions of 1theaerator when atone-bolt connection is-used;.gm'=;y

Figure 6 it asecticntaken alo at e 56' of .Figur.e;.3. 1 r Figure T7 vis talperspective lifter bars.

Y naBe'fore: adverting detail tot the sereral I ures; it. may be explained that the flotation process for the separation o f tthe valuable min;

erals from thelundesirablevportion, 10f ores relies upon the formation of a froth; thatmay be createdrby variousimeans; in which truth the particles of the-desirable components of-the ore are" foundv and "which froth; being continuously added totfrom below, due to some iorm of aeration or agitation, overflows V-into. suitable launr, ders byrwhich itiis'delivered'to other apparatus for further treatment if such is required; The froth :is usually termed (concentrates, the waste portioncc tailings fand themixture of gangue and; minerals when ground and mixed; with water, etc;-,-isreferred-t0 as thePpulp. v I

.; The present; invention involves improvements in the means-used for; aerating-the pulp and creating the froth and. in the mahnerpi aerartion. a

1,988,351: r I neumonia-rants,"'3'; mm H. "Fairehild,: Salt Lake City, man; as-li' signor of oneehalfcto Ji-Patton NeeleyiEt14.,

Patten. and; h B. pr Application July 11; 1930; Serial 465,668 tcmims.. crzu-wayif' de'sirable} to deliverth'e froth "tojailsuitable,

v and p fi j e ably supported; in suitable" blfialfi I S d haft ma bero a ed by a y su ta em fluid or lvapgr r nder Now r fer ng hfltfir l to. the Q 3 fig, re the lnumeral 1 I represents, the 'cell tank or P- l wh c 'the p p isi troduced flu a suitable feed entrance 2. The. aerator; which the pulp-that settleiintoic sep oximity t0 the 9,1;

erator n or m fe laiifnd 5:ma@ e n o= vided at the sides of the, tankwor cell into which the, -froth may overflow, Said la-finders inclining discharge pl aee 6 y ravitrfronwhich'p et y' may be conveyed tola v-settling tank, oraa'ny an paratueiot tar-malt eatment; 'Thetank, b1r Us; p ovided wi h.- a di cha e overflow r s; ii 1 a h or 1 1 w ste r ii nr ot e n anner disp n it as desired. a

' -v c; F 'u e 1 h w $1 the aerat t mprise a.

b owlshaft v8' 1 shown-1a be t r de ai j n Fi u e ther lt and pul ey v 10 b ng sugges y one means of ro t on- I 1 116. shatt passes thro opposite end walls oiftheftank or cell 311.. by war of u in b x s wh th m yr t-elkor any suitableconstruction. fiq

T sha t referab y annedre th r e closed at its ends andfprovide d .outsid {,th v

tank or cell-l with a slip -j oint;;.air c nection mpris n a ham ered s evetlii #S IIQ E Qine. zr r awt izme l t te af -r id tl e.

ein so constru t d as; to minim ze air to the atmosph munic ntw a tri utor heu nd *9 the ,latter in turn is in cpnnnunicat' n,-witn= a plurality of substantially paralle cyl nders -01 we .lifa t ibuehiis 1101i e essary t wa s pmv he distributor head .17, t me any other" suitable P9 .oper, Isupporti 't fl a e d of the 1011 95716 will, answer the purpose 2 [oi the nvention unless 1113 1911 51. b de ired H 1 airp 'other' flu dviu der n sure from? he end in general, is designated iby" the rererence their Figureia showsfthatftwo or more Ioraminous or perforated pipe =or-cylinder-covers may be used, the inner covering 19 being usually for spacing purposes and, in this case, of coarse mesh wire cloth commonly referred toasFhard bledarator into an intra-orbital manner.

ware cloth while the outer covering riiaybe of fabric such as twill or filter cloth orb! pe'rfo-* e'to surfaee"ofthe pulp and, overflows into the rated rubber or any other medium suitab the requirements.

An aerator of this type is; -m oregeflicient than a mere cylindrical aerator, sinceinihe opera tion of the latter the air is emitted radially frdm' all sides of the aerator. In the present invention the ftotal surface area of the aerating ele;

ments may be substantially increased f or a given diameter of: the aerator I if desired by the;

use of maximum diameter pipes, but in an'y casethe airf issimultaneously emitted inffour different directions in that {region 'of 'theyaeratorj 1 i z on ituqin r'axis qrrotation; thu's mor' m el ja rat the body r liquid or pulp is that m'ayLbeJin said longitudinal central 'regionLf Thevital difference 'r'n'a'yibe said to lie chiefly' i'n'fthe iact that with theeylindrical typeof: aerator the aeration or agitation occurs outsidej the Qpath of jrevolution'of thecylinder' while with "the; present "improvement it' partially intraorbitalwith respect t the paths of r v lug;

tion 01 Tf he Sev r aer n e m n I Thejvcylindrical elementsor'pipes 16f-may be preferably screwed into flanges '21 which in turn are, boltedto the distributor-heads 15 and'17; f

the latter having QD in'gs Whichialign with the :gmiim thoroughness by the air bubbles intersecttion of the pulp that has a tendency to settle in the bottom of the tank or cell'1lifting such settled or settling material to some point above the aerating 7, element and; pouring; or dropping said material upon and/orinlbetweeftheaerating pipes 16 where it is acted upon with optiing theregion adjacent the axis of the assemiwif;Thet frothfwhichresults from the aeration of the pulp in -the-tank or cell 1 collectsat the launders due; f to the continuous accumulation rimi belowof inore'froth as the aerating process-continues.

While 1 have in the above description disa closed what ';1- b e11eve' to be aipractical lconcept of; my 3 invention, it is to be unde'rfstood tl'iat the;

details as shown or"'des'cribed are 'r'nerelyby' way of exampld and not to gbe considered as limita ve in their relation to the scopeot tlie irive'n tionas claimed?" 1 7 What I claim is:

table; aerating ,m er'nbers ier dischargingair" or gas for other fluidor fiuids' into the pulp within said-receptacle near the bottom thereof revol-v- 1. Inflotationapparatus including a-'recepopenings in the-pipes" '16 and connec't said pipes" .Fattmtbeeear ssrrteattisaga ishett a Miran idztiihiml 1hr "isnpferabiplpi 4 i L r a p-1m; mamas :imf iii am e nsastl l't mixmg ts :ilsiolicj s war hereof-a et: dumnigliltlinirllill 1: a 5i .tii'oidatizlrgmg 1:; 545

[that .eemmlutirtio o i-asaimmm i mar-meme l2 ornate mam-i xismmzutixtinb t said: ci momhisra m'c'ddrd iof'ipmeriofnede a, maria tisi liir' binding n aim-acid e zone traversed by groups of rising bubbles from said conduits.

'7. Flotation apparatus as claimed in claim 6, the aerator including stirring meansfor elevating pulp from beneath said aerator and pouring it into the aerated intra-orbital zone established by the revolution of said conduits.

8. In flotation apparatus including a receptacle, an aerator arranged substantially horizontally in said receptacle near the bottom thereof comprising a hollow shaft for admitting air or gas to said aerator, a plurality of aerating conduits in communication with said shaft and revoluble therewith, and pervious coverings surrounding said conduits for sub-dividing the air or gas jets discharging from said conduits.

9. In flotation apparatus as claimed in claim 8, means for elevating mineral pulp from adjacent the bottom of said receptacle and discharging it into the aerated zone established by said revoluble conduits.

10. In flotation apparatus including a receptacle, an aerator arranged substantially horizontally in said receptacle near the bottom thereof comprising a hollow shaft for admitting air or gas to said aerator, a distributing head with which said hollow shaft communicates, and a plurality of aerating conduits revoluble with said distributing head about the axis of said shaft and communicating with said distributing head.

11. In flotation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, means movable with said aerator for elevating pulp from the bottom of said receptacle and pouring it through the aerated zone established by the revolution of said aerating conduits.

12. In flotation apparatus including a receptacle, an aerator arranged substantially horizon tally in said receptacle near the bottom thereof comprising a hollow shaft for admitting air or gas to said aerator, a distributing head having an open ended chamber, aplate detachably closing the open end of said chamber, and a plurality of aerating conduits connected to said plate and communicating with said chamber, and revoluble with said distributing head about the axis of said shaft.

13. Flotation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 including stirrers carried by said aerator and extending longitudinally of the aerating conduits for lifting mineral pulp from adjacent the bottom of said receptacle and pouring it into the aerated zone established by the revolution of said aerating conduits.

14. Flotation apparatus as claimed in claim.

medium for the dissemination of a multiplicity of minute'air bubbles throughout a body of pulp confined within the apparatus, andmeans in association with the rotor for rotating it about a substantially horizontal axis common to the members.

16. In an apparatus for .the concentration of ores orthe like by froth. flotation, a rotor comprising a plurality of hollow aerating members symmetrically and, horizontally positioned in proximity; to the bottom of the apparatus, each of said members being provided with a porous medium for the dissemination of a multiplicity of minute air bubbles throughout a body of pulp confined within the apparatus, and means in association with the rotor for rotating it about a substantially horizontal axis common to the members, said members communicating with a single air distributing chamber.

17. An apparatus for the concentration of ores, comprising a flotation cell for the retention of a body of mineral pulp undergoing treatment, an inlet for the introduction of pulp to the cell, an outlet for the withdrawal of treated pulp from the cell, and a plurality of parallelly spaced and horizontally disposed aerating members located at or near the bottom of the cell adapted to release finely disseminated air into a body of pulp confined within the cell said members being mounted and provided with means for moving them about a substantially horizontal axis.

DONALD H. FAIRCHILD. 

